Fools Quest – Progress

[marionline]

I feel like writing about the progress the game makes.
I hope to finish it before the top 30 voting, so it can take part.

I'm trying myself at battle balancing right now. I've never done this before, it seems to be time consuming.
I'm using spreadsheets I found at Castle Paradox. They are handy.

Balancing seems to be difficult, but using numbers above 10 seems to make the differences of the attacks visible. I'm not sure if I have to include a boss battle in the end, because games have to have a boss battle, and people will be dissapointed if there's none. Still for me fighting is an optional thing in the game, so you should not have to fight a bossbattle, and you should not have to gather lots of levels before being able to fight the last boss, wich on the other hand would turn the whole boss-battle-thing rather rediculus. Maybe I make the battle optional, and allow the player to choose.

I'll still need to do the following (may contain spoilers later on):
- add 2 attacks (read HP and increase hits)
- duplicate attacks and make learning items
- hide some items on the map
- change the music
- textboxes for the showdown and for a marionette
- look for people to play test
- include some sounds
- redraw Haul
- write some scripts:
-- healing script (so I don't have to have the "Go to an Inn screen" show up)
-- nice credits
-- an ending scene/a happy Village
-- a game over screen

[Meatballsub]

Looking forward to playing it!

I'll be sure to write a review when it is released, but if you'd like to do some sort of preview through the Hamster Wheel to create some hype, I'd be glad to check it out anytime.

Shoot me a PM if you'd like to discuss it more.

[marionline]

The game is still making progess, I have now a whole week focus on working on it, yeah!
I gave every hero (let's better say every fool) her or his attacks, made items to serach for and hid them on the maps and I wrote two scripts.

Today, somehow the guards walking script started misbehaving.
I'm unsure why, but I guess it has something to do with zones I placed on the map. At least that the only way I could think of, why suddenly the NPC changed its way, unless I accidently messed with the script in the .hss-file and saved it without noticing. I sould take a closer look at this soon.


So, I'll still need to do the following (may contain spoilers):
- fix the guards walking plotscript (!).
- test 2 attacks (read HP and increase hits)
- add the items to test the attack to the test area
- change the music (when the music is ready)
- textboxes for the showdown and for a marionette
- look for people to play test
- include some sounds
- redraw Haul
- write some scripts:
-- nice credits
-- an ending scene/a happy Village
-- draw a game over screen

[marionline]

While working on the game and testing it, and I found more than a few things I still need to do or to fix. . .
Sometimes making a game feels like there's a bottomless pit of bug waiting for you to find them...Well, better I find them now instead of they are found after the game's release. xD

So, my list grew to:
(Beware, this now really has spoilers in it...)
Edit:

Attack „read HP“ should show HP of Enemy -> find bug

Kobold-merchant should sell things! -> fix this

Spellbook on map Village was not given?! Fix this.

Candle was not given by NPC -> fix this

Add boxes or holes to the ground to indicate where to find hidden items. Or use NPCs together with a "... is leader tag".

fix reading script
-- fix purple book displaying wrong text
-- fix Npc saying it's a text about sand city
-- fix Npc saying it's an essay about magic

fix Attacks chained to run away attack!

fix guards walking script
-- make Guards stronger

colour smileface pink (done)

Put Stairs-message-one-time-NPCs in Tower
test the whole tower, but remove other bugs first

Script:
Make a mag. item script:
no mag. item displayed in libary if eyepach was choosen!
Try an alter NPC script...

Write Endboss fight, throw out of window and use mag item script (1/2 done)

Game over script: show picture of sleeping marina + textbox: What a nightmare...

Maybe: Improve Kerli's Script giving more hints where to go to/ talk to whom next


Add textbox sounds (after everything is done)
remove hidden text-doors on map 1! (after everything is done)
remove extra kerli give-away on fireplace (forest map) when the game is ready

((if to much free time, then draw walking animations))

=> beta-testing and fix language mistakes!

[marionline]

I did work on the game, but still the game needs a lot of work...

List of thing to do (spoiler):

Add Enemie sounds
Add dancing Kabauter
Attack „read HP“ should show HP of Enemy -> find bug
I vistit the libary → I visit -> fix spelling mistake
Fix Passability on Forest Map, Village Map
Fix Djinn's Book drop → wrong book?
Fix Money NPC, → usable only once
Mirror Npc does not give Mirror!
Fix guards walking script, NPC 2 walks strange
Fix Libary Passability
Scared Guards script creates an infinite loop → fix this → test (loop should be fixed) + (find out how to make all instances of an NPC run)
Kobold-hammer not given by Kobold-NPC, just a textbox saying „hehehe“ → not funny

Tower:
fix Heal-Guard-NPC so that he heals you
make enemies appear less often
Put Stairs-message-one-time-NPCs in Tower
→ test the whole tower, but remove other bugs first (done, test)

Maybe: Make a testing script that hands you the neccesary items and teleports you to a place to continue the story

fix reading script
-- fix purple book displaying wrong text (done?)
-- fix Npc saying it's a text about sand city (done?)
-- fix Npc saying it's an essay about magic (test)
Blue Book in Libary displays wrong text (53)! → find right text to display and fix NPC
places all book NPC and make script run

Others:
fix Attacks chained to run away attack! (find out which one)

Script:
Make a mag. item script:
→ (test if fixed), tag: hammer: eyepatch shows test about eyepach, but hammer is not shown
→ if tag Eyepatch then wrong text is displayed, but mag.item is given!

Write Endboss fight, throw out of window and use mag item script (1/2 done)

Game over script: show picture of sleeping marina + textbox: What a nightmare...

Maybe:
Improve Kerli's Script giving more hints where to go to/ talk to whom next
– Make a textbox telling about the painter/river
((if to much free time, then draw walking animations))

In te End:
Add textbox sounds (after everything is done)

remove hidden text-doors on map 1! (after everything is done)
remove extra kerli give-away on fireplace (forest map) when the game is ready

=> beta-testing and fix language mistakes!

[marionline]

I got some things done yesterday and today, thanks to the help from people the forum here, who answered my questions .
I plan to finish the following points soon, if possible until next weekend.
I now know we it is said to add music as the last thing to your game, I don't like to hear some of the songs anymore, but I'm planning to replace all the game's music, so it's not that bad.
After the tasks on this list are finished I start looking for beta testers.
Working so long on one thing, I may oversee things, so I'd like to profit from the opinions and hints from other people.

This may spoiler, it's a list for me to remember what to do.
Things to do:
Graphics:
-Change Villages Backdrop color to darker colors
Other:
-Blue Book in Libary displays wrong text (53)! → find right text to display and fix NPC
Scripts:
-Scared Guards script creates an infinite loop → fix this → test (loop should be fixed)
-Write Endboss script (1/2 done)
-Make nicer cutscene/screens for „battle“ in the end
Test:
-One last test if something stops the player from progressing in the game
Finally:
-Add textbox sounds (after everything is done)
-remove hidden text-doors on map 1! (after everything is done)
-remove extra kerli give-away on fireplace (forest map) when the game is ready
Maybe:
- Improve Kerli's Script giving more hints where to go to/ talk to whom next
- Make a textbox telling about the painter/river
- Make a testing script that hands you the neccesary items and teleports you to a place to continue the story
((Maybe not: draw walking animations))
==> beta-testing and fix language mistakes!

[Meowskivich]

May we get some screen shots? Or is it top secrets?

[marionline]

Oh, I totally forgot about that I could go and post some screenshots beside writing about progress. Pictures say more than words, right?
I'll post some more screenshots when test playing.




Edit:
And here are some more pictures:

The Village of Lauthing:


A picture with a hero portrait:


Another one:


The player's marionette gives hints:


Fighting some djinn:


Progress:
At the Moment I'm setting the music tracks for the game. It seems like most of the scripting is done, the end battle script is finally running.
I think there are no bugs that prevent the player from solving the game, at least I've found none (anymore). Reading my list posted here reminded me that I still have some minor things to fix.

Ah, and anyone for beta-testing? ;)

[marionline]

Yesterday I sent the game to Meatballsub to take a look at it, I also send it some friends, telling them it's the playable beta-version.

Foolsquest is almost ready to be put online here, but before that it should be beta tested until all bugs/mistakes (I didn't find) are gone.
Also I need someone to look at the textboxes/dialogues.
I'm no native english speaker and even if I do not want the game to sound odd, sometimes I can't help it.
The english I learnt was not really meant for writing game's dialoge (in medival settings).

If you want to help either beta-testing the game and/or checking the dialogue I'll send you the link, just write a PM.

FoolsQuest II:
At the moment I'm tyring to draw tiles (wooden tiles are difficult -.-" ) and set up the plot/story, characters ect., and later I will think about gameplay and other important things.
I'm pretty sure that the plot will have Robin Hood in it.
Drawing tiles is refershingly diffrent from test playing and scripting.
Making FoolsQuest did take me about 3 or 4 months, so I can't really say how long it will take for FoolQuestII, but I'm sure I learnt a lot plotscripting while making FoolsQuest.

[Spoonweaver]

Thus game looks pretty crazy.
I'm interested to see more.

[Bob the Hamster]

I really like those portrait sprites :)

[BMR]

Indeedy Looking forward to this.

[marionline]

Thanks for the nice words.
I hope ýou'll have fun, when the game is ready for playing.

Betatesting by imaginegaming and a friend of mine mede clear that there still are lots of things to correct before the game is really past beta.

Here's the List, I'll try to work on it soon.

Needs to be fixed:

change way you walk from forest to village, place the, place the sign some tiles up

Improve Kerli's Script giving more hints where to go to/ talk to whom next

Make a textbox telling about the painter/river

What are items used for, let player know

remove glassball item + npc

even if thoses eyes are … → Baker does not sell → add shop to textbox

make Kerli give hint in libary – after taking to Haul, before talking to Haul, after talking to Haul again, befor talking to haul again

more kerli hints

Tower's passability check

heal script should heal all heros (not just first one)

shop triggred with „ you're running away...“ dye is free (change that) + this textbox should not be displayed in the end!

Credis has a textbox missing

Spellingmistakes and odd Wording:

This is your coat → protects

Best oflife -> Best out of life
protect

sand city in the south (is it mentioned?)

made (A book about Food)

In my great … decided!

Graphics:
Symbols for merchants
An other thing was noticed, but I hope it's a bug in the editor than a thing I'd produce:

If you leave a gap in the hero order, the names are not being displayed like they should.

[Bob the Hamster]

An other thing was noticed, but I hope it's a bug in the editor than a thing I'd produce:

If you leave a gap in the hero order, the names are not being displayed like they should.

I tried to reproduce this bug, but I can't make it happen yet. Can you tell me more? Is Book 7 an item that teaches a spell?

What are the correct names for the three heroes that appear in that screenshot?

[marionline]

Yes, book 7 is a book that teaches a spell.
The first hero's name is correct.
The second hero's name is Do-no-good, and the third can be named by the player.